


Courage, Strength and Magic

by robynvite



Series: Strength and Magic [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur bickering, Arthur is third-wheeling here, Episode s03e06: The Eye of the Phoenix, Flirting, Guys I just can't believe that nobody made the courage strength and magic connection here, Gwaine flirting, M/M, Magic Reveal, Merlin - Freeform, Merlin blushing, Merlin deserves love, Merlin/Gwaine - Freeform, Short One Shot, courage strength and magic, gwaine finds out about merlin's magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:08:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24507436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robynvite/pseuds/robynvite
Summary: ‘Wait,’ Arthur interrupted, looking thoughtful. ‘If I am Courage, and Gwaine is Strength…’And then he looked directly at Merlin, who felt his veins fill with ice.Merlin tries to fight off some realizations, and is only partly succesful.
Relationships: Gwaine/Merlin (Merlin), Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Strength and Magic [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1770829
Comments: 18
Kudos: 433





	Courage, Strength and Magic

The ride back from Arthur’s trident quest was amicable. While they rode with the three of them next to one another whenever the road was wide enough, Merlin spend most of it chatting with Gwaine. There was plenty of bickering between Arthur and him, and Arthur and Gwaine as well.

The time he hadn’t been exposed to Gwaine due to the man’s banishment, it had been quite easy for Merlin to forget about his attraction to the man. It was back with a vengeance now, however. It was quite unfair, Merlin thought, that Gwaine was able to so effortlessly, nonchalantly look amazing. Even in the swaggering way he rode his horse, leaning back as if it didn’t require any core strength. Merlin had seen how lovestruck girls could watch the man, even in the short time he’d been in Camelot, and was careful not to show his own admiration as plain on his face. Luckily, he was quite good at keeping secrets. He didn’t need Gwaine’s head to get any bigger. Besides, if Arthur ever found out… Well. Arthur, luckily, was quite ready to draw any odd behavior up to Merlin’s general ‘foolishness’. Sometimes, Merlin wondered if the only reason Arthur never saw through him was because he thought Merlin was too much of an incapable idiot to be anything more than he pretended to be. Better not to dwindle on that.

Gwaine was a welcome distraction. Maybe a bit too welcome, as Merlin had accidentally steered his horse too close to Gwaine’s by looking at him and leaning into the reigns wrong. Whoops. Still, attraction, for Merlin, had gotten quite a serious and painful connotation from his last short lived experience with Freya. The rush and giddiness of his attraction to Gwaine was enough to at least shed some of those painful connotations. Even if nothing could come of it, he was grateful for that.

Eventually, the skies turned dark and they had to set up camp. Gwaine helped Merlin gather firewood, and they joked back and forth while doing so. It felt flirtatious, but that could be said of any and all Gwaine’s interactions. When they returned, their shoulders bumped a few times.

Arthur hadn’t been useless while they’d been gone, and had caught a rabbit for them to eat.

‘I’ll prepare it,’ Merlin said cheerily, in a good mood due to Gwaine’s warmth at his side. ‘Can you get a fire going while I skin it?’

‘I give the orders, Merlin,’ Arthur said.

‘Wasn’t an order, I just wondered if you could, as you never do anything yourself,’ Merlin said, emboldened from all Gwaine’s blatant disrespect to the prince.

‘I _just_ caught the-‘

Merlin and Gwain started snickering at his indignation.

‘You know, what, Merlin, I will have you mocking out the stables for this!’ Arthur protested. Ah, right. Gwaine could be disrespectful because he was already banished and not at all at Arthur’s mercy anymore. And probably because he was so bloody charming. Merlin, on the other hand…

He quickly turned to skin the rabbit. It wasn’t a lot of meat, just the amount that Arthur would have for a dinner for himself alone. He glanced up to see Arthur fumble with the firewood, failing to get it lighted.

‘Uh, Arthur… Can you catch another one?’

‘Not enough for you?’ Arthur asked, infuriatingly. 

‘I was thinking about you having to share the usual amount you usually eat, which won’t do your mood much good,’ Merlin said. He was never good in biting his tongue.

‘You guys aren’t even supposed to be here,’ Arthur protested, but got up anyways. Probably glad that he got to do something he was more skilled at than lightning fires. Killing unsuspecting forest life.

Of course, Arthur continued to grumble about Merlin and Gwaine showing up for his special one man’s mission, but Merlin couldn’t feel too bad for saving his life. Belatedly, though, he realized that there may be something more to the comments, namely insecurity. It had been a test of Arthur’s independent ability to complete a challenging quest, to prove his suitability as king.

‘You know, it doesn’t actually mean anything about your capabilities to complete the mission that you didn’t do it by yourself, right?’ Merlin said eventually, after when Arthur had returned and fired off yet another complaint that Merlin wasn’t even supposed to be here, so please, could he at least make some space around the fire?

Arthur glanced up at him and away, sitting down next to Merlin and pushing his leg out of the way roughly. Gwaine grinned at Merlin over the fire, and Merlin could feel his face heating in a way that had little to do with the fire that he was poking in with sticks.

‘How’s that?’ Arthur asked. ‘The quest is specifically meant to be completed by me alone, to show I am ready to be king.’

Arthur’s mouth formed a displeased line, poking a stick into the fire. And well, Merlin had never been able to handle it when Arthur was upset. He had an inherent insatiable need to have Arthur happy. Hence: ‘Well, the man on the bridge said our help was paramount to complete the quest!’

Arthur frowned. ‘He said something alike to me too. Well… No. He said I was Courage, and I had need of Strength and Magic to complete the quest.’

Merlin felt the heat on his face quickly draw away. He was such an idiot, bringing this up. As if Arthur’s massive self-esteem couldn’t have done with a little bump.

‘He said I was Strength!’ Gwaine said, sitting up straighter and making it worse. ‘Then I drew my sword at him and he transformed it into flowers.’

‘White lilies,’ was what Merlin could think of to say.

‘You’d know,’ Gwaine said, winking at him.

‘What’s that supposed -’ Merlin began, hoping to grasp the distraction and never to let go.

‘Wait,’ Arthur interrupted, looking thoughtful. ‘If I am Courage, and Gwaine is Strength…’

And then he looked directly at Merlin, who felt his veins fill with ice. He forced himself to go thoughtful as well. ‘Hmm,’ he said. ‘It was weird that the wyverns stopped attacking you by themselves. Maybe there was a third person helping you!’

Arthur narrowed his eyes. ‘Yes, you.’

‘No, besides me, obviously,’ Merlin said quickly. ‘Maybe it was the Fisher King! Gaius told me there were rumors that he did not die and was still alive.’

There was a pause in which Merlin felt himself age a couple of years from the sheer stress he felt. Then he saw Arthur relax a bit. ‘Right,’ he said. ‘Why would he help me if I were to steal the trident?’

‘The man on the bridge said to me that with the demise of the realm of the Fisher King, a new time would start for Albion,’ Merlin said. ‘A good time. Maybe he wanted that. Maybe the trident being recovered would set those events in motion.’

‘You and your destinies,’ Arthur said, but he looked thoughtful.

‘Were you just gonna keep all this information to yourself?’ Gwaine asked. Merlin looked over at him for the first time since Arthur had started connecting dots, and swallowed. Gwaine looked very much doubtful.

‘Well, I’ve told you now,’ Merlin said. ‘We were kind of preoccupied.’

Gwaine hummed, not breaking eye contact. Merlin quickly did so for him, turning back to Arthur. ‘You uh, you caught us another rabbit?’

‘Of course,’ Arthur said, holding it up.

‘Great! I’ll skin that, while you roast this one.’

‘Yes, sire,’ Arthur said, mockingly.

‘Oh, just Merlin is fine, thanks!’

He quickly set to skin the rabbit, that Arthur coincidentally had launched at his head just now. The topic wasn’t breached anymore for the evening, luckily, though Merlin could feel Gwaine watching him curiously. It left him wholly anxious, and jittery, which Arthur scolded him for.

‘I’ll take first watch,’ Gwaine said, casually, when they had eaten and the night dawned on them.

Arthur clapped his back in thanks and started to make up his bed. Merlin gave Gwaine a smile and quickly did so too. If he could pretend to fall asleep before Arthur, Gwaine had no way to talk to him about earlier.

That tactic worked, until Gwaine woke him in the night, his face entirely too far into Merlin’s personal space.

‘Wha- something wrong?’ Merlin asked, groggily and propping himself up upon his elbows.

‘Your turn, you lazy daisy.’

Merlin couldn’t help but smile at that. ‘Don’t call Arthur that, he doesn’t like it,’ he advised, sitting up and glancing over at the prince. He was snoring quite contently. Then Merlin realized that wasn’t good, as Gwaine had now all the opportunity to talk to him. Worse, Gwaine saw that realization dawn on Merlin’s face, creating a great opening.

‘Merlin,’ he said.

‘Yes?’ Merlin asked, playing the fool. It was a game familiar to him.

‘Are you Magic?’

Merlin looked at him, heart speeding even more than it had. He could feel that the act of the fool would do very little for him now. Still. ‘What?’

Gwaine’s eyes were trained on him intensely, a startling difference from his usual nonchalance. ‘You arrived at the bridge before me, and you stayed behind when I was crossing. You spoke to him.’

‘Yeah, I…’

‘There were three of us on this quest. Arthur may disregard you as a servant, but I don’t. You protect him.’

Merlin licked his lips and glanced over at Arthur. Still snoring, at least. Hopefully not faking and ready to spring to action as soon as he admitted it.

‘Don’t tell him,’ he said softly.

Gwaine, inexplicably, grinned. His whole demeaner changed. ‘Of course I wouldn’t. So, you have magic? Really?’

Merlin shushed him. ‘He could literally wake any second, Gwaine,’ he hissed.

Gwaine tsk-ed. Merlin looked at him in wonder. ‘You don’t mind?’

‘Knew there was something about you,’ he said. ‘Something special.’

How unfair to say something so… incredibly sweet. Merlin’s cheeks were heated up again and he gave a small laugh, rubbing his neck. ‘You seriously don’t mind?’

‘Merlin, I don’t agree with how those with magic are treated in Camelot,’ Gwaine said, leaning in with a serious expression. ‘Much like I don’t like how people that aren’t nobility are treated. It’s what’s in the heart that counts. Same for you as for me.’

There was entirely too much looking into each other’s eyes and generally being in each other’s space for there to be any talk about their hearts. Merlin tried to think of something to say, licking his very dry lips. Causing Gwaine’s eyes to flick to Merlin’s lips. Oh, Goddess. Gwaine looked back at his eyes and said, lowly. ‘Perhaps, we have the same thing in our hearts at this moment.’

Merlin all but swooned, and instead opted to lean in and meet Gwaine halfway. It was exhilarating to kiss him, and completely different from the desperate kisses he’d shared with Freya. This was passionate. It was probably embarrassing how he felt warmth pooling in his groin already, but right now, all he felt was desire. Experimentally, he brought his hands up to Gwaine’s head and pulled him closer, causing Gwaine to kind of lean on top of him, as he had never really gotten up from his reclining position. He didn’t mind.

After a few glorious moments, Gwaine broke the kiss. Merlin couldn’t help but chasing after him a little, causing Gwaine to put a hand on his chest with a soft laugh. Merlin opened his eyes.

His heart soared with how happy Gwaine looked. As if he had been waiting for this too. Not a spur in the moment kind of thing.

‘Thanks,’ Merlin breathed.

‘Thanks?’ Gwaine grinned. ‘No, thank you. Pleasure’s all mine.’

‘No, I mean… for…’

Gwaine rose a perfect, rugged eyebrow.

‘For still liking me, despite the magic,’ Merlin barreled on, blushing.

Gwaine brought the hand that was on Merlin’s chest to his cheek, stroking his cheekbone. ‘Of course,’ he said. ‘Can you show me?’

Merlin was a little kiss-stupid, and just blinked owlishly at him.

‘Your magic,’ Gwaine elaborated.

Merlin glanced at Arthur, and was very relieved to find him still asleep. Hopefully. Arthur wasn’t that much of a heavy sleeper, what if he was pretending?

‘You’re incredibly scared he’ll find out,’ Gwaine noted. ‘Didn’t you say you’re his friend? What do you think he would do?’

‘I don’t know,’ Merlin said. ‘Arthur’s different than his father, that’s why I serve him. He will bring freedom and peace for magic users upon Albion, and he needs me for that. But… he’s been taught to hate and fear magic. I don’t think he would have me executed, but he might send me away. I can’t allow that, because it’s my destiny to help him become the Once and Future King.’

‘I’m glad you just snogged me, or I would feel jealous,’ Gwaine said, dryly.

Merlin laughed a bit, looking away from Arthur and back to the man leaning above him. He felt his breath leave him a little bit from how close they still were, and Goddess, they had just kissed. Gwaine liked him.

‘Why are you laughing?’ Gwaine asked.

‘It’s a bit surreal,’ Merlin admitted, reaching up and stroking Gwaine’s chest. He had been wanting to that since seeing Gwaine wake from his bed, the morning after they had first met during a barfight.

Gwaine grinned at him as if knowing, and Merlin’s cheeks heated again. ‘You blush very easily for someone with such a big secret,’ he said.

‘Not with… others,’ Merlin said, blushing more. It was just those bedroom eyes, trained so intensely on Merlin. It was embarrassing how turned on he was. He stroked Gwaine’s chest once more, lower. Gwaine immediately leant back in and kissed Merlin again, hungrily. He leant in more, this time, and his hand was wandering as well. Merlin desperately arched into it, feeling completely touch starved.

Goddess, it was overwhelming, and entirely impossible to move this any further with Arthur just besides them. Gwaine proved that point by gently biting at Merlin’s lip, making his sigh out a soft moan and then freezing for having done so. Gwaine broke the kiss and looked over at Arthur, who still, thankfully, appeared to be fast asleep.

‘Want to sneak off?’ Gwaine asked, voice deep. Merlin felt absolutely destroyed by his voice already.

‘We can’t,’ he said, and found his own voice deeper too. ‘We’re supposed to keep watch, what if something happens.’

Gwaine sighed and rested his head upon Merlin’s shoulder. ‘Tomorrow we reach Camelot,’ he said. ‘And I won’t be able to come.’

He grinned at his own double entendre after catching it, and Merlin rolled his eyes. ‘We’ll find you again,’ he said. ‘I’m sure of it.’

‘Yes, perhaps, but who knows how long that will take,’ Gwaine said.

‘I’m not asking you to –’ Merlin began, hesitantly, hating the idea of Gwaine with someone else.

‘What, be faithful to you?’ Gwaine asked. ‘Merlin. If you say you will be waiting for me, I will wait for you. I want to give this a chance.’

Merlin couldn’t help the smile that blossomed on his face, and Gwaine lifted his head to kiss him again. ‘Next time, we might have more time,’ he said. ‘In between the secrecy and the company of our royal highness.’

‘More time to…’ Merlin said, blushing.

‘Show me your magic,’ Gwaine nodded, with a grin.

Merlin glanced at Arthur again, and sat up a little bit. Gwaine did too, heaving himself up and positioning himself next to Merlin, and leaning into his side. Merlin did one final check, but Arthur was still snoring gently, and it seemed real enough. So he turned his attention back to the fire, and whispered a soft incantation to make the small fire grow bigger again.

‘I know you can do more than that,’ Gwaine said.

‘Well, yes,’ Merlin said. ‘But I need to be careful. Once, I thought I was alone and played around a bit with it, and someone saw and reported to Uther, who had a witchfinder come to Camelot, and the witchfinder tortured Gaius and would have him burned at the stake, with false, planted evidence. Gaius was Uther’s friend, and Uther would have gone along with it.’

‘I can imagine you’re scared,’ Gwaine said, seriously. ‘To be found out.’

Merlin nodded, with a soft sigh. ‘I’m relieved you know, though.’

‘Arthur’s not the brightest, not to have figured it out by now,’ Gwaine grinned.

‘It stings, sometimes. He thinks I’m a total idiot, so he would never suspect me.’

‘He respects you, though,’ Gwaine said. ‘It’s just that he trusts you to be completely honest, because you’re always completely honest.’

That didn’t make it much better. Merlin sighed again, and let himself drop on his back once more. ‘I can’t be,’ he mumbled, feeling thoroughly guilty.

‘I know,’ Gwaine said, soothingly. ‘Maybe when Uther’s dead.’

‘Yeah,’ Merlin said, grasping Gwaine’s hand. ‘And then you can return to Camelot.’

Gwaine brought Merlin’s hand to his lips and kissed it, with a playful grin. ‘Almost enough incentive to kill the man myself.’

It was awful, but Merlin couldn’t help a chuckle. ‘Don’t.’

‘Nah.’

They were quiet for a bit, and Gwaine let his hand wander up and down Merlin’s arm. It was maybe slightly pathetic how enormously aware Merlin was of every soft touch. He looked up at the sky to try and see how far off morning was.

‘We’ll have the rest of the night to be together,’ he said to Gwaine. ‘And then we’ll cherish that until we see each other again.’

‘I’ll send you a letter, every now and then,’ Gwaine smiled. ‘Dirty ones. Gaius doesn’t read through your mail, does he?’

Merlin laughed, and quickly covered his mouth to muffle the sound. ‘I hope not.’

‘Why, have you been getting more dirty letters?’ Gwaine grinned.

‘No!’

Gwaine laughed as well, too loudly, and they both looked at Arthur, who now stirred, groaned, and looked up groggily at them. ‘What _are_ you two doing?’

Gwaine had taken some distance from Merlin and was now still close, but not suspiciously so. Merlin’s entire side felt cold without his warmth there.

‘Sorry,’ he said, sheepishly. ‘Gwaine woke me for the change of guard and we started talking.’

‘Well, be more quiet,’ Arthur grumbled. ‘And if I hear so much of a _word_ out of either one of you that you’re tired tomorrow, I swear–‘

‘Alright, princess, back to your beauty sleep,’ Gwaine grinned. ‘Apologies apologies.’

Arthur threw whatever was closest - a glove, in this case, to Gwaine’s head. Gwaine caught it, and winked at Merlin. With an irritated growl, Arthur turned his back to them again.

Merlin and Gwaine sat in silence, then, even when the snoring started back up. But they did hold hands and stared at the stars together, and watched the rise. Neither of them complained they were tired on the way back. They joked back and forth, and shared loaded looks whenever Arthur wasn’t paying attention. Unfairly, Merlin had the feeling that Gwaine was trying to be as seductive as possible, by glancing at Merlin from underneath his long eyelashes and smiling that infuriating smile directly at Merlin whenever he could. Merlin was almost certain his blush would give everything away, but Gwaine could be furtive, when he wanted.

And then they reached the border, and they had to say goodbye. Merlin, strangely, didn’t feel as down as he might have, when they did. He knew he would see Gwaine again, and he knew, now, that there was someone out there who liked him, magic and all. And other than with Freya, this situation felt alight with hope, and mirth. Despite parting, Merlin did not feel as though this was another tragic love story.

**Author's Note:**

> I've written more to the Gwaine/Merlin lovestory, but it's a bit open ended now, so posting this as a one shot!


End file.
